RNLAF F-16 Solo Display Team receives new jet

Words and photography Michael van der Mee, additional photography Nico van Remmerden

On the second of April the Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 Solo Display Team traded their good old J-055 for a new painted F-16, the J-015. The F-16 supports a black and orange livery, with the Dutch symbol, a lion, on as well the top as the bottom of the jet. The orange colour symbolizes the colour of the Royal Family.

Unique is the black painted radome. As the black paint reduces the function of the radar significant and the F-16, if demanded, must be normal operational just like all other RNLAF F-16s , this was no sinicure. It means that if the J-015 must be deployed in any operational mission the radome must be changed and the pitot tube must be realigned. The permission was given by the command of the RNLAF to give the applied scheme an extra boost.

Captain Ralph "Sheik" Aarts, the display teams' pilot since 2006, collected the J-015 at Woensdrecht Air Base where it was painted by Stork/Fokker Aircraft Services. After take off he took his jet around the Netherlands for a photo shoot above various famous Dutch landmarks. The "Lion" was joined by the J-055 and a dual seater with an Air Force photographer in the backseat.

Arriving above Volkel in formation with the J-055 the jet was viewed by hundreds outside the base and the various guests on the base itself. The J-055, flown by Captain Chris "Omelet" Vaneker, one of the teams' two coaches, landed first and taxied to the flightline. The J-015 did a so called "hot pit" refuel on the runway before making its first official demo of the 2009 season.

After the display the J-015 was officially presented to the Air Force Commanding Officer Lt. General Jac Janssen, who complimented "Sheik" with his  new jet and his peformance. After him the Director of Operations Commodore Sander Schnitger complimented Sheik. In precense of the Majors of the surrounding towns, Spotting Group Volkel and various media the Team was proudly posing in front of "their" lion. We wish the Lion Kings a very succesfull 2009 airshow season!

The author would like to thank Bureau Voorlichting Vliegbasis Volkel for their invitation on this special event.